Former Cincinnati Bengals star running back Rudi Johnson has died at the age of 45, the NFL team said on Tuesday.
In a tribute on their Web site, the Bengals recalled Johnson’s on-field exploits, his popularity with teammates and his deep connection with Cincinnati fans.
No cause of death was given, but celebrity news Web site TMZ reported he died by suicide and cited an unnamed family source as saying Johnson had recently struggled with mental health issues.
Photo: AFP
Johnson was drafted 100th overall by the Bengals in 2001.
He put up two of the best rushing seasons in Bengals history in 2004 and 2005. In 2004, he rushed for a franchise record 1,454 yards and 12 touchdowns, and in 2005 he broke his own record with 1,458 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns.
He is fourth on Cincinnati’s all-time rushing list with 5,742 career yards.
In 2005, he helped establish the Rudi Johnson Foundation to “give back to the community that nurtured him,” the organization’s Web site says.
Johnson played his final NFL season in 2008 with the Detroit Lions.
He was remembered on Tuesday by six-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson, who posted a photo of his former teammate on X.
“R.I.P. Rudi Johnson,” Chad Johnson wrote.
NO HARD FEELINGS: Taiwan’s Lin Hsiang-ti and Indonesia’s Dhinda Amartya Pratiwi embraced after fighting to a tense and rare 30-29 final game in their Uber Cup match The Taiwanese men’s team on Wednesday fought back from the brink of elimination to defeat Denmark in Group C and advance to the quarter-finals of the Thomas Cup, while the women’s team were to face South Korea after press time last night in the Uber Cup quarter-finals in Horsens, Denmark. In the first match, Taiwan’s top shuttler Chou Tien-chen faced a familiar opponent in world No. 3 Anders Antonsen. It was their 16th head-to-head matchup, with the Dane taking his fourth victory in a row against former world No. 2 Chou, winning 21-14, 13-21, 21-15 in 1 hour, 22 minutes. The
Marta Kostyuk’s maiden WTA 1000 title in Madrid came on Saturday thanks to her power, poise and a pair of unexpected lucky shorts. The world No. 23 beat eighth-ranked Mirra Andreeva 6-3, 7-5 in under 90 minutes to secure the most prestigious trophy of her career, her third professional singles title and second in less than a month after Rouen. Yet as the 23-year-old Ukrainian posed for photographs at the Caja Magica, it was not just the silverware that caught the eye. Held alongside her team and her two dogs, Kostyuk showed off a piece of black men’s underwear, prompting
Throwing more than US$5 billion at a divisive new tour and walking away after five seasons does not look like good business, but LIV Golf was not all bad news for Saudi Arabia. Oil-funded LIV, which poached top stars and sent golf’s establishment into a tailspin, helped push the conservative kingdom into global view — one of its key aims, experts said. The exit, confirmed on Thursday after weeks of speculation, does not signal a flight of Saudi money from sport, even after the Middle East war that sparked Iranian attacks around the Gulf, they said. “Saudi Arabia is not
Anastasia Potapova on Wednesday turned tennis heartbreak into history by becoming the first lucky loser to reach a WTA 1000 semi-final with her thrilling 6-1, 6-7 (4/7), 6-3 victory over Karolina Pliskova at the Madrid Open, as Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei exited in the women’s doubles quarter-finals. The Russian-born Austrian, who lost in qualifying last week, has capitalized on her unexpected main draw entry and stunned former world No. 1 Pliskova in a roller-coaster clash despite squandering three match points. Potapova’s run has included impressive victories over former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko and world No. 2 Elena Rybakina. Asked if she had thought
RSS